Like bacteria with antibiotics, resistance to crop protection products can develop over time. So managing products that are at risk of developing resistance is vital.
Managing resistance
Practices for managing products at risk of developing resistance include threshold monitoring of insect populations, non-exclusive use of specific chemistry, and restricting the number of applications per crop per season. There are three science-based resistance management committees – for herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides. The committees are run by the New Zealand Plant Protection Society and include Agcarm members. For more information, see Pesticide Resistance Strategies on the NZ Protection Society website.
Weed resistance
Weeds can develop resistance to herbicides over time. About 250 weed species have evolved to resist 160 different herbicides. These herbicide-resistant weeds have been reported in 86 crops in 66 countries.
Resistance statements on labels
Labels must contain the mode of action and resistance statement. These statements identify different types of modes of action, so help users to control the emergence of resistance.
Infographics
CropLife International has developed four infographics to explain how pests develop resistance to pesticides and the impact resistance has on global agriculture, see:
